1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to improvements in structures and apparatus used primarily in the field of vending machines, and more particularly to devices and their combination in such structures and apparatus, that provide substantial useful improvements in existing vending machines which are commonly used in the food dispensing field. However, it will be understood that while this invention is directed particularly to devices used in the field of bread vending machines, the specific structure disclosed herein can be used in other allied fields such as vending of other large food articles, or non-food articles, and the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Heretofore, vending machines used in the field of dispensing relatively large packaged food articles have been relatively expensive and complicated to manufacture and/or operate over relatively long periods of time with sufficient reliability to warrant their initial cost.
Vending machines heretofore utilized primarily for large packaged food articles have been relatively complex and expensive because they usually require complicated mechanisms to actuate a food conveying apparatus within the machine to transport a particular article to be vended into close proximity to a coin release door through which the food article is removed. Such prior art vending apparatus, heretofore used, may have incorporated inclined conveying means for transporting food articles such as milk, or the like, through a single access door. This complicated structure would sometimes fail as a result of the failure of the transport mechanism and thereby cause aggravation to the prospective user thereof, firstly as a result of not obtaining the food article which is desired, and secondly as a result of losing the amount of coinage inserted into the machine.
Still another great disadvantage of prior art vending machines is that they require complicated interconnection of circuitry between the single coin receiving and release mechanism and the single door and its associated conveyor mechanism, or are used to release a single one of a plurality of such doors.